


Blind Luck, Blonde Luck

by ZolphDiggler



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23985313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZolphDiggler/pseuds/ZolphDiggler
Summary: Ryuji considers himself a very lucky man to have a girlfriend like Ann. It's a sweet enough sentiment, until it isn't.
Relationships: Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	Blind Luck, Blonde Luck

“I'm a damn lucky man y'know that Ann?”

“Wha-?” the blonde woman exclaimed, the sudden question being enough to drag her attention away from her phone and towards her partner of the last half of a decade as she rolled toward him. “That sorta came from nowhere.”

“Me. Nabbing a girl like you. Damn lucky.”

“Yeah I did hear you the first time Ryuji. You know you already nabbed me right? No need to butter me up any more.”

“Just saying.” he responded, his opinion only reinforced by the heavenly giggle that his absent minded playing with her hair elicited.

“But while we're on the topic...” Ann started, her hand stroking the length of her boyfriend's well toned arms, “What exactly makes me a girl like me hmm? What makes you so lucky?”

“Don't remember signing up for a Pop Quiz.”

“You''ll live, now come on you started this thing.”

“You realise how stupid a question that is right?”, Ryuji chuckled, with a look as if someone had just asked what colour an orange was. “You're Ann Takamaki remember? Like, The Ann Takamaki. Anyone would be lucky to have you, never mind me.”

“Mmhmm. So what you're saying is now I've put you on the spot you can't think of anything, right?”

“Well I mean there's your hot as hell bod? Couldn't forget that if I tried.”

“Ahhhh yes there's that unrivalled charm that first made me melt. Such a way with words.” Ann responded, her sarcasm quickly shifting into sultry sincerity. “Well just so you know, you make me feel pretty lucky too.”

“You lucky to have me? Oh yeah I'm sure.” Not the response Ann was after particularly, but as she rolled over further to straddle his waist her mind was already elsewhere. 

“You're good to go another round yeah?”

“Oh yeah. Damn, damn lucky.” Taking that was a yes and a little tired of the topic, she decided shutting him up with a kiss was the best course of action.

**

“Well I'm glad I could help stranger. Hope you get the right number next time.”

“You're hilarious Ryuji. You know fine well I'd call more often if I could.”, the man on the other end of the phone spoke back with a bitter chuckle. “Just talk it over with Ann and get back to me alright?”

“Will do man. I really am sorry by the way. I'll make it up to you guys.”

“Don't be ridiculous. Considering I barely get to see you guys these days, what's a few thousand yen?” Looking back and around their modest apartment, his eyes caught by the unpaid bill on the coffee table, Ryuji suppressed a sign. “Yeah. Just a few thousand...”

“Ryuji?”

“Thanks again man, talk to you soon”, he said as he quickly hang up the phone, his thoughts of if his old friend had caught his slip up or not interrupted by the front door opening and closing”

“I'm back! Also, I totally nailed it! Probably.”

“Is your timing for real? You literally just missed Ren on the phone.”

“For real?” Ann's annoyance that that phrase was apparently now ingrained in her too giving way to the shock of hearing from their old leader. “Uh, that sucks! I mean him calling doesn't suck I mean- look you know what I mean what did he say?”

“Settle down” Ryuji said stifling a laugh at Ann's frustrated outburst. “Don't need you having an aneurysm before we all go for dinner.”

“Dinner? He's actually coming out for dinner? What did he lose an election or something? He never has time these days.”

“Pretty much my reaction too. He and the missus both managed to wrangle the same day off for once, so he thought we could have ourselves a little double date night. You're free tomorrow right?”

“Unfortunately yes, or I guess fortunately now huh?, Ann corrected herself, the rejected audition from last week suddenly bothering her significantly less. “Where is it we're headed?”

“Well uh, you remember our first Phantom Thief victory celebration right? That, buffet, that meat...” Ryuji reminisced, hopeful that his hesitation would be lost in his ramblings before promptly being disappointed.

“I do yeah but...I also remember the price. Can we really afford that right now?” Ann asked knowing the answer to her own question before she'd even finished it.

“Pretty much my reaction again. Dunno if that's cute or creepy.”

“Knock it off I'm serious. It's been so long so I don't want to say no but...”

“My bad, my bad” said Ryuji averting his eyes. “No worries though. He offered to foot the bill.”

“For all of us? By himself?”

“Themselves. They're going 50/50 for all four of us.” the embarrassment only slightly audible in his voice. Fortunately for Ryuji, Ann was apparently either too shocked or elated to notice it.

“Wow that's awesome! I mean they can definitely take the hit no doubt, but still wow! Guess we'll just pay em back some other way. Somehow...” Ann trailed off, trying her best not to have her pleasant mood be intruded with thoughts of finances, only to have them interrupted with a sigh.

“Sorry Ann.”

“What? Wait, sorry for what?”

“For not...measuring up I guess? Personal trainer doesn't exactly compare to Diet member or software designer or police captain or...anything the gang does really huh? Shit even Yusuke super well known these days. Bet the dudes raking in cash even if he couldn't learn how to spend it to save his life. Oh and as for Haru!” Ryuji's self focused diatribe continued until his partner cut him off.

“Hey why aren't you counting me in all this? Modelling and the odd gig as an extra or one off isn't exactly the shining example of a steady income.” she grumbled with a sigh. "We always did trail behind the others in school I guess. Can't say we weren't warned. Bunch of times actually.”

“I'm surprised Makoto didn't resort to holding us at gunpoint in the library.”

“Besides this is all temporary anyway! You haven't forgotten exactly who it is you're training right? Ann continued, spurred on with that fact Ryuji's mood had at least seemed to lighten a little.

“Shit no. Suzui's the best volleyball player I've ever seen. She'll be going Olympic before she knows what's hit her.”

“Mmhmm. And who's the coach who's going to help get her there?”

“That would be yours truly.”

“Exactly!” Ann capped of her rebuttal with an emphatic clap before draping her arms over Ryuji's broad shoulders. “And once my name's up in lights and you're the man who trained the new face of volleyball, we're gonna be richer and more famous than all of em!” she concluded and was met with a laugh and incredulous smirk.

“Richer than Haru? Really?”

“We're gonna be richer and more famous than...some of em?”, her chipper correction causing them both to devolve into giggles, with Ryuji the first to compose himself as he chuckled bitterly.

“Maybe it's best we weren't exactly stars of our classes. If you were any smarter you'd never settle with a guy like me. Still got no idea why you do, but thanks Ann.” Rather than help keep up the good mood as he intended Ryuji's statement quickly turned Ann's laughter into a sigh, before she untangled herself from him and turned back towards the bedroom.

“Yo Ann? You okay?” Ryuji asked, thrown off by her sudden change in actions.

“Fine. I'm going to pick out some outfits for tomorrow night. If we're going somewhere nice you're not wearing any of those super loud shirts.”

“C-c'mon man gimme some credit. I wasn't gonna” Ryuji sulked crossing his arms. He'd just have to show off his awesome new shirt next time.

“By the way,” Ann continued, “you are actually planning to pay those two back right? I mean speaking from personal experience when it comes to you and borrowing money...”

“Never gonna let that damn dolphin business go are ya?”

**

“Uggggh damn it this better be cooked through.” an exasperated Ann spoke aloud to herself, as she impatiently peered into the oven for what seemed like the fifth time in as many minutes. Wanting to do the best job she could and knowing just how bizarrely knowledgable Ryuji was when it came to meat, she had followed the instructions for the beef joint to the letter. Several long minutes and a cathartic beep later, she began to prepare the two plates, both hoping that he would enjoy her cooking and muttering that he better well do so in equal measure.

“Yo!” Ryuji called out as he bounded in through the front door, as keen on proper manners now as he ever was. “Oooh I smell something good! Wait, I smell something good? Have you actually been cooking?”

“Mmhmm, and considering what day it is I'm even going to be super nice and ignore that tone of yours.” Ann said her smile not dropping an inch as she left the kitchen area and walked up to greet him.

“Huh? Considering the- Ann I already told you you didn't have to do nothing for my birthday.”

“And I ignored you so tough.”

“No but seriously shit that smells good! Is that beef? It's beef right? You cooked beef?”. Ryuji's bombardment was pronounced by his desperate attempts to look past over Ann's shoulders as she tried her best to block his view.

“Would you knock it off? You're ruining the surprise!”

“Any desert?”

“You don't ask for much do you?”

“Well is there?”

“Possibly.”

“Yeah it's cake isn't it?”

“Maybe and maybe not. I've grown up y'know? That sweet tooth thing is a thing of the past.”

“Shit your acting has come leaps and bounds. If it was anyone but you saying that I might have actually believed it.”

“Why thank you. Now if only your attempts at humour had done the same.” Ann said shaking her head and trying to contain the laugh that would have made her comeback toothless. “Let's just sit and eat before that plate winds in in your face rather than in your face.” With that the quips stopped and the meal began, and to the pairs shared delight and Ann's solitary relief, it was actually delicious.

“Oh shit man this is good! This is so effin good!”

“I'd say watch the language while we're eating, but honestly I'm just glad you like it.”

“There any more? There's more right?”

“Sorry, one joint was all I could afford if I wanted that cake too.”

“Ah. Right.” Ryuji may have dwelt on that a little longer had he not realised what she just said “So there is cake! Called it!”

“Well done, eat up so we can get to it why don't you?” Ann said, more than willing to let him have that victory if it moved the conversation away from her slip up mentioning money, not wanting a repeat of the conversation they'd had weeks prior. Unfortunately for her the next sentence out of Ryuji's mouth was just as effective at killing the mood.

“Y'know I've said it before, but I really don't deserve you huh?” said Ryuji as he polished off his plate, confused when he got no reply.

“Ann? You listening?”

“Yes I heard you. And yes you have said that before.”

“We're having cake now right?”. His question was met with Ann standing up, walking away from the kitchen.

“Grab some if you want. I think I'll just go to bed.”

“Wait what?” Ryuji's asked taken aback, “You're hitting the hay now? Already?”

“Yep.”

“Well uhh okay then. You want some company up there then? Birthday boy remember? I've got one more present right?”. His attempts to re-rail the evening only had him meet with glare from his girlfriend.

“What? I haven't given you enough already? I just said I'm tired, didn't you hear me? Don't you listen?” The silence between the two was deafening and thick, as frustration and shock found themselves at an impasse. Ann was the one to break it.

“Look I didn't mean...” she began and trailed off, before shaking her head before opening the door to their room. “I really am just tired alright. Not like I cook all too often. Just grab some cake or a bath or something and come to bed whenever alright?”. The closing of the door marking the last statement with clear finality. Taking a glance in the fridge and racking his brains for how he'd managed to mess that up, he couldn't quite bring himself to cut into the slightly misshapen birthday cake in there, with iced on Skull and Panther masks staring back at him.

**

“Ryuji we need to talk.” Ann stated the line she'd rehearsed over and over in her head already, as she shook the man lying next to her awake. His groggy response was about what she expected.

“Uhh huh? Wha-?”

“We need to talk.”

“Right, right we'll talk in 30 minutes or so when the alarm goes off yeah?”

“We need to talk right now. It's important alright? Lately I fee-”

“Oh shit that's right I completely forgot!” Ryuji bellowed as he practically leapt from their sheets and onto the ground, “I'm supposed to meet Suzui early today! I gotta get out of here now!” Ann's brows furrowed.

“Ryuji sit down I ha-”

“Damn she's gonna be pissed! Some personal trainer I am huh?”

“What is your problem? I just told you it's impo-”

“Thanks for the wake up call babe you're the best! For real I'd be useless witho-” It was his turn not to get to finish his sentence.

“Shut up! Just shut up Ryuji! I was just talking to Shiho yesterday and she's off visiting relatives until the end of the week, so cut the bullshit! I'm trying to talk to you what the hell is your problem?” Her prepared firm but gentle speech when swiftly out the window, as his last comment open the floodgates of months if not years of bottled up emotion. Barely even flinching at her outburst, Ryuji sat down on the side of the bed.

“Because I have a pretty good idea what you're about to say, and the thought of hearing it terrifies me.” Despite his words Ryuji's speech seemed rather composed, as if he had been anticipating having to say them for a good while. “You want to finish things between us huh? Not surprising.” Ryuji's comments bit her hard, as did the fact she wasn't as surprised he was saying them as she would have liked. However they only strengthened Ann's resolve to set the record straight, and deciding that yelling wouldn't be particularly effective at doing so, she took a deep breath and tried to salvage the situation. 

“That's a pretty heavy thing to assume. Why do you think that's what I wanted to say?”

“I'm not an idiot Ann, well not a total idiot anyway. Sure dreams come true sometimes, but they don't last forever. I'm surprised you lasted this long if anything.” Unsurprised at his reasoning and not having much to say to it, Ann sat back and let him continue. “I mean come on, you're Ann Takamaki. You're the single most beautiful woman in Shibuya, hell in Japan, the world you name it. You're a future leading actress, a future star! Someone like me was always pushing their luck back when we started seeing each other, never mind this far into it.”. The bitter acceptance she heard in his words hurt Ann as much as the words themselves. “You got an audition today yeah? I'll grab some stuff and find somewhere to bunk while you're out.” he finished with a grunt as he hopped back of the bed. “Still, thanks Ann. For putting up with me so long. You made me real happy.” Ryuji turned away and began to walk towards their door, wondering if he could risk letting the tears he was holding back flow after left the apartment or if he should wait until he was alone, before those thoughts were interrupted by the small yet vice like grip he felt around his wrist.

“Do you have any god damn idea how cruel you can be?”. Ann's words were barely any louder than a mutter, but in the silence of the room they hit as hard as any scream.

“Cruel? I'm being cru- look I got the message Ann you don't gotta-”

“No! You don't have the message, because I haven't said anything yet! You're too busy...shitting all over yourself to listen to what I have to say?” Ann started to yell again despite her best efforts. “Having to hear all that all the time about the person I love, about the person who makes me happier than I've ever been! Are you saying that isn't cruel? I had to put up with that kind of shit back in school, and now I have to hear it from you too?”

“Wha- but come on it's not like the rumours back then. I'm the only one saying it.”

“That's the worst part about it! How would you feel if I was constantly letting you know that I was useless or you could be with way better women or all that other stuff you keep saying?”

“That's different and you know it.”

“How? Why?”

“Because you're not me alright? You're not some punk who somehow lucked out and got the girl of his dreams! You deserve better than me Ann. Maybe you don't know that, but I know that, every person who passes us in the street and wonders what the hell you're doing with me knows that, hell maybe everyone but you knows that!” Ryuji briefly stopped to take a breath, the self doubt fuelling his diatribe slowly running out of steam. "You deserve the best Ann. I'm not that."

“Is that what love is to you Ryuji?” the annoyance in Ann's voice reaching its peak. “Saying shit like I can be with anyone I want. Who cares what I deserve? I want to be with you! Not because I'm settling, or you're pushing your luck, or because I'm too dumb to know better. It's because I love you! I want to be with the man who I can always be myself around without fear, with the man who makes me laugh, and feel safer and happier than anyone else every could. I Ann Takamaki want to be with you, Ryuji Sakamoto! You're the best thing to ever happen to me. How much more clear do you want me to be?"  
Ann took another breath is a desperate attempt to calm herself back down, Ryuji too busy recoiling from what she just said to interrupt. “I mean is it my fault? Do I do a bad job at showing how much you mean to me? I know we like to squabble and bicker sometimes, but-”

“No that ain't it!” Ryuji interjected, beginning to overcome his surprise at the way his morning had started. “I know fine well how you feel, I do. I just...can't figure out why sometimes.” The two both apparently similarly out of steam, Ann's fury began to give way way.

“It's just so frustrating y'know? I just want you to be able to think of yourself the way I think you, but I have no idea how to do help you do it. Some ideal girlfriend I am.” Ann said turning away, beginning to wonder if it had been a mistake to say anything in the first place. As she began to feel the tears begin to fall a strong familiar hand turned her back round, the smile that greeted her faint, but one she had learned to love regardless.

“I ain't got much a clue how either to tell you the truth, but it's important to you huh?”

“Of course it is. You're important to me.”

“Then I guess it's important to me too then. I can't promise I won't blurt dumb shit like that out again, but that's fine. You'll be here to keep me right, right?

“Obviously. I'm not going anywhere Ryuji. I'm yours as long as you'll have me”

“Same here. Guess that's us stuck with each other forever then? Though if that's the case could you do me a favour and quit the crying?” Ryuji asked as he reached out his hand, thumbing away a watery streak from her face.

“Right my bad. My crying face is so not cute right?”

“Exactly. Glad you remembered”

“Yeah okay see now you're pushing your luck.” Ann faux-admonished taking his hand from her face, before dropping the facade and allowing herself to fall comfortably into his chest. The two sat there in a comfortable embrace for a moment, until Ryuji took it upon himself to end the moment.

“By the way, shitting all over myself? Really? You couldn't think of any better way to phrase that?”

“I phrased it exactly how you would have phrased it and you know it.”

“Well that's...shit alright fine.”

All too soon their laughter was cut short by the foretold alarm, reminding them it know actually was time to get out of bed. With a begrudging grunt Ryuji stood up and turned to shut it off, but not before glancing down at the woman buried in his chest one more time, and as he looked down again at the platinum hair that had grabbed his attention in middle school, and into the turquoise eyes that had taken his heart not too long after, the feeling of being lucky to have her gave way to another feeling. He was grateful. Damn, damn grateful.

**Author's Note:**

> In these days of isolation I'm unable to find anyone to vet my work, so if you can spot any blemishes I'd be grateful if you let me know. Touching on Ryuji's insecurities whilst not compromising his loud and in your face side was a fine line to tread, feedback on how I did would be appreciated.
> 
> Also I kept Ren's waifu unnamed so that whoever you paired him with is good to go. Unless it was with Ann of course, in which case...I'm not sorry at all how dare you break up these beautiful morons.


End file.
